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Resource Library

Everyone should have access to an open and trusted Internet.
Read our reports, papers, and other documents for insight and vision on how we can get there.

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Action Plan 2025

Our 2025 Action Plan outlines our priorities in 2025, the first year of our 2030 Strategy.

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2023 Year in Review

The Year in Review shows the steps we took in 2023 to ensure the Internet is for everyone. Learn about the positive difference we made for the Internet.

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Internet Impact Briefs

Shorter reports that analyze how different policies or new technologies may affect what the Internet needs to exist and thrive.

Glossary of Internet Terms

Understand key terms and become fluent in the language of the Internet with our new and improved glossary. 

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Policy Briefs

Our perspective on critical Internet issues, including community networks, encryption, open Internet standards, Internet Exchange Points, and more.

Report: IGF 2015 Workshop – Law enforcement in a world of pervasive encryption

Report by: Nicolas Seidler, with input from Jairus Pryor IGF 2015 Brazil, Joao Pessoa (November 2015) Organiser: The Internet Society Moderator: Nicolas Seidler, Policy advisor, the Internet Society Speakers:
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Africa Peering and Interconnection Forum (AfPIF) Program Committee Governance Structure

This document details the governance framework determining how the Program Committee for the Africa Peering and Interconnection Forum (referred to as “PC”) will be structured and regulated. It consists of ...

The Year that Was: A report on the initiatives and activities of the Asia-Pacific Bureau for 2015

This report was put together to outline some of the key initiatives undertaken by the Internet Society’s Asia-Pacific (APAC) Regional Bureau in 2015. While it is not meant to be ...

Kyrgyz Internet Environment Assessment

The objective of this report is to contribute to the Internet development efforts in the Kyrgyz Republic by providing an analysis of the current Internet environment, and by proposing recommendations ...

Policy Brief: Internet Exchange Points (IXPs)

Internet exchange points (IXPs) can improve Internet quality and affordability in local communities. IXPs help strengthen local Internet connectivity, develop local Internet industry, improve competitiveness, and serve as a hub ...

Policy Brief: Internet Interconnection

The success of the Internet depends on reliable, efficient, and cost-effective interconnections among networks. Governments need to create policy and regulatory environments that remove artificial barriers and foster flexibility in ...

Addressing the challenge of IP spoofing

Nowhere in the basic architecture of the Internet is there a more hideous flaw than in the lack of enforcement of simple SAV (source-address validation) by most gateways.   - Paul ...

Interconnection and Traffic Exchange (ITE) Program Brochure

Available data shows that Africa imports more than 99% of the Internet content consumed creating an Internet Transit Deficit – where significantly less traffic is generated locally than accessed internationally ...

Global Internet Report 2015

The Global Internet Report 2015 focuses on mobile Internet and presents data that show trends, benefits and challenges as well as recommendations for future of the Internet ...

Internet Society Submission to the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Protection and Promotion of the Right to Freedom of Expression and Opinion Regarding the Use of Encryption and Anonymity in Digital Communications

The Internet Society welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the report that will be prepared by the Special Rapporteur on the protection and promotion of the right ...

Archives

2015 Email Unsubscribe Audit

OTA's research and unsub test criteria revealed that 98% (versus only 90% in 2014) of the top e-commerce brands are in compliance with U.S. and Canadian unsubscribe ...

The Smart Home Checklist

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IoT Trust Framework Overview – Congressional Staff Briefing

Working Group Goals:
  1. Focus on connected home & wearable technologies.
  2. Provide guidance to help reduce vulnerabilities and adopt responsible privacy and data practices.
  3. Drive the adoption of best practices; ...

Kyrgyz Internet Environment Assessment

The objective of this report is to contribute to the Internet development efforts in the Kyrgyz Republic by providing an analysis of the current Internet environment, and by proposing recommendations ...

Discussion Paper: The Mobile App Divide

The Internet Society Discussion Paper Series is intended, as the name suggests, to stimulate discussion around a topical issue of importance to meeting the Internet Society goals. In style, it ...

Best Practices: Retail Point of Sale Name Acquisition

Email continues to be a rich and vibrant channel to connect with consumers, provide news, and distribute promotional offers – all while building and enhancing loyalty with the retailers that ...

Policy Brief: Botnets

Botnets are a complex and continuously evolving challenge to user confidence and security on the Internet. Combating botnets requires cross-border and multidisciplinary collaboration, innovative technical approaches, and the widespread deployment ...

Policy Brief: The Challenge of Spam

The proliferation of spam email presents a harmful, costly, and evolving threat to Internet users. Governments can help reduce the impact of spam by deterring offenders via effective laws and ...

Policy Brief: Privacy

Privacy helps reinforce user trust of online services, yet online privacy is under constant pressure of being undermined. Promoting strong, technologyneutral data-privacy laws, privacy-by-design principles, and ethical data-collection and handling ...

Policy Brief: Open Internet Standards

Open Internet standards are a foundation of the Internet, allowing anyone to set up a new online service and make it available to the rest of the Internet without requiring ...

Policy Brief: Network Neutrality

Network neutrality is a complex and controversial topic and is an important part of a free and open Internet. Enabling access, choice, and transparency of Internet offerings empowers users to ...

Annual Reports and Financials

On annual basis, we publish annual reports (an Action Plan and Impact Report), as well as financial reports, annual financial statements, and Form 990s.